Young African innovators invited to develop AI solutions for family planning

November 4, 2026 – Young African innovators have been invited to develop artificial intelligence [AI]-powered solutions to improve access to family planning services under the third edition of the Africa Young Innovators for Health Award.

Speak Up Africa and the Ouagadougou Partnership Coordination Unit [OPCU] have opened applications for the award, which seeks innovative and responsible uses of AI to address barriers to family planning, particularly among young people across Africa.

According to the organisers, applications will remain open until November 6.

The initiative comes amid persistent challenges facing young people in West and Central Africa, including misinformation, limited access to confidential and youth-friendly healthcare, provider bias and restrictions based on age or marital status.

According to the organisers, 80 percent of unintended pregnancies among adolescents aged 15 to 19 occur among those who do not use modern contraceptive methods, including condoms, oral contraceptive pills, injectables, implants and intrauterine devices [IUDs].

The Ouagadougou Partnership aims to enable 13 million people to access and use modern contraceptive methods by 2030, a target that requires improved access to accurate information, stronger service delivery and family planning services tailored to young people’s needs.

The organisers say artificial intelligence could help healthcare providers improve service delivery, strengthen patient referrals and make better use of data for planning and decision-making.

However, the award will prioritise solutions that respond to African realities, particularly in areas with limited internet connectivity, while addressing concerns around data protection, safety, inclusion, algorithmic bias, reliability and human oversight.

“Since its launch in 2021 with IFPMA [International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations], the Africa Young Innovators for Health Award has pursued the same ambition: to support a new generation of African innovators and equip them to transform promising ideas into practical solutions for the continent,” said Yacine Djibo, Executive Director of Speak Up Africa.

Djibo said the latest edition, implemented in partnership with OPCU, would apply that ambition to family planning by exploring the potential of artificial intelligence.

“Beyond the technology, the Award remains focused on supporting young people, strengthening their solutions and connecting them with the partners, decision-makers and investors who can advance their development and impact,” she said.

The competition is open to applicants aged 18 to 35 who reside in an African country and apply through a civil society or private sector organisation.

Applicants must present solutions addressing clearly defined family planning needs, with AI playing a meaningful role. The proposed innovations must have reached at least the prototype or minimum viable product [MVP] stage.

Eight finalists will be selected to participate in an innovation hackathon in Conakry, Guinea, where they will receive training on business planning, stakeholder mapping, partnership and investment readiness, and pitching their solutions to decision-makers and potential investors.

The finalists’ activities, including pitch training, mentorship clinics and boot camps, will run from November 30 to December 3, 2026.

A jury will select four winners, with two first-prize recipients each receiving US$ 15,000 and two second-prize recipients each taking home US$ 10,000.

In addition to the cash awards, the winners will benefit from a three-month mentorship programme, access to specialists in family planning, artificial intelligence and business development, media training and opportunities to showcase their innovations to potential partners and investors.

Marie Ba, director of OPCU, said involving young innovators was critical to achieving the Ouagadougou Partnership’s target of reaching 13 million people with modern contraceptive methods by 2030.

“To achieve the Ouagadougou Partnership’s goal of reaching 13 million people to access and use modern contraceptive methods by 2030, we must harness the ideas and skills of young people,” Ba said.

She added that giving finalists an opportunity to present their projects at the Ouagadougou Partnership Annual Meeting and engage with decision-makers, service providers and partners would help promising innovations gain visibility and support for further development.

https://thecooperator.news/new-season-farmers-urged-on-planning-their-ventures/

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